They are blocking the highways again.

Saturday 12-3-16 Martinez, Heading out into the Parana Delta Islands today, Argentina   

Today we read Romans 13 - 16

S.  Rom 13:4-5 The authorities are sent by God to help you. But if you are doing something wrong, of course you should be afraid, for you will be punished. The authorities are established by God for that very purpose, to punish those who do wrong.  So you must obey the government for two reasons: to keep from being punished and to keep a clear conscience. NLT

O. The Apostle Paul is referring to a government that had been forcibly given to these Romans. They were not allowed to choose their authorities. Still God wants His Word to show them the best way to live, following the rules and respecting the authorities placed over them.  

A. When I was a child, I was clearly shown that I was not the authority in my house.  I could whine and beg and stomp my feet, but I knew that it would get me nowhere. We were all taught to respect those in authority, first our parents, then our school teachers, the police, and even mature children that were given a place of authority, like directing the foot-traffic for crossing a busy street.  Unfortunately, today many homes do not teach and enforce the parental authority and many children grow up disrespecting and disobeying their authorities.  Many times I have observed a little 2 year old child.  His mother says, “Johnny come here right now!” But Johnny runs away.  He picks up a sharp knife and she yells, “Drop that knife!”  He keeps right on disobeying, simply, because he knows that when his mother says, “No” she will not follow up and enforce her orders. She is teaching her baby boy that her “No” really means, “Okay, go ahead if you are going to scream.” He can ignore authority and do whatever he pleases. Personally I believe a mother or father should never say, “No” unless they are willing to enforce it every single time. 

P.  Lord, it is obvious in our present world that “adult-babies” still scream when they do not get their way. They are upset with their authorities so they damage and harm hundreds of others that have nothing to do with their demands, spoiling their day by blocking the highway.  It is a repeat of a baby screaming in a restaurant and a mother or father that gives him whatever he wants to quiet him. Dear Father, I am no expert, but I thank You for parents that taught us the benefits of respecting and obeying our authorities.  And if we have a true complaint we can take it directly to our authorities, not by burning down our innocent neighbor’s house just to get attention.  Amen.

Ralph

PS. Recently three times I have waited in a line of hundreds of cars and trucks because a small group of upset people have blocked the highway.  Today, again, on the TV they have already blocked the most important street in the center of Buenos Aires for 2 hours… demanding their way.  They make thousands of innocent people suffer just to be “heard”.  It’s the babies screaming again.  And they likely will get what they want, because mama says, “Okay, if you are going to scream, I’ll give you that candy.”